Interdisciplinary Practices in Forensics within American Law Enforcement: The International Context

Abstract

As forensic evidence has come to be of paramount importance within the American criminal justice system, it becomes pertinent to explore current standards, education, and training conducted within forensic investigation units who are actively engaged in crime scene recovery methods. After review of the current state of research within the field both domestically and internationally, an exploratory study was conducted through national surveying of American law enforcement agencies at the municipal, county, state, and federal level. Results indicate the need for reform though development of uniform standards, required educational levels, and enhanced interdisciplinary training in order to ensure the highest levels of documentation, collection, and preservation of forensic evidence. Recommendations regarding future research include evaluative procedures aimed at developing standardization, reforming required educational levels, evaluating available training programs, and increasing knowledge pertaining to the value of national certification.